1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates in general to water or “garden” hoses and in particular to an electrically heated flexible elastomeric or rubber hose which carries an electrical cord for powering heating elements embedded in the hose wall.
2. Description of Prior Developments
A water delivery problem can arise in colder climates where the temperature falls below the freezing temperature of water. For example, farmers need to supply water to livestock in the field, building contractors need to supply water to outdoor worksites and homeowners need water to wash cars and other equipment during winter months, as well as year round in some very cold climates.
Presently, livestock is watered by transporting water from an indoor faucet to remote livestock water troughs in the field. This is done with hand carried buckets or by motor vehicle. This is laborious and time consuming.
Prior attempts to provide water in cold weather include wrapping stationary water pipes with heat tape and insulation and providing localized 110 volt electric heaters or gas heaters on water conduits, containers and troughs. In some cases, water pipes are buried deep underground below the frost line and connected to frost free hydrants. These prior approaches and apparatus are relatively expensive, complicated to set up and use, bulky and generally difficult if not impossible to reposition and move around.
What is needed is a convenient, inexpensive and easily portable system to prevent water from freezing within hoses in virtually any cold environment. A further need exists for an economical hose of simple construction which is heated by widely available electrical power such as 110 volt AC power available from standard electrical wall outlets. Yet a further need exists for a convenient source of electrical power available at the end of a hose to allow a user to power electrical equipment, hardware and tools including saws, drills and the like and electrical appliances such as livestock grooming equipment as well as electrical water tank heaters for preventing water within a water tank from freezing.
A safe, reliable, easy-to-assemble, and low cost electrical grounding system is further needed to meet safety standards and provide a robust grounding circuit.